Improvement in corn-harvesters



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. PLESHER.

001m HARVESTER.

N0. 101,721. Patented Apr. 12, 1870.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. PLESHER. CORN HAEVESTER.

No. 101,721. Patented Apr. 12, 1870.

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I III I c Hi I I H 11! 7 Toall whom it may concern.-

Letters Patent No. 101,7 21, dated April 12, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-HARVESTERS.

The Schedule referred-to in these Letters Patent and making part of thename Be it known that I, HENRY Fnnsnnn, of Springfield, in the county ofSangamon and in the State of 11- linois, have invented a new and usefulImproved Corn- Harvester; and do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a top plan view'of my corn-harvester.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Like letters of like kind denote like parts in each figure.

- My'invention relates to a class of devices by which standing Indiancorn is out, bound in shocks, and deposited upon the ground in astanding position at one operation; and

It consists, principally, in the general construction and arrangement ofthe various parts of the device, as hereinafter set forth.

It also consists in the arrangement of the droppingtables and of thedevices for operating the same, as is hereinafter specified.

' In the drawingi A represents a suitable platform or body, mounted upontwo traction-wheels, B, and'provided at its front, a little to one sideof the longitudinal center, with-a notch, O, flaring outward, into whichthe standing corn may be guided by means of suitable jaws, not

,shown in the drawings.

The top of the platform all around this notch is armed with suitablesheet metal.

The rear of the platform is also provided with 'an opening, D, throughwhich the shocks are dropped 'upon the ground.

This openingis-covcred with two dropping-tables, E and E, each'of whichis semicircularin form. fit ting together so as to make a completecircle.

Each of these tables is pivoted at the center of its periphery to alever, F, which in tnrnis provided with a cross-piece, G, the ends ofwhich are pivoted upon the top-of the standards H, springing" from thecor here of the opening I).

For convenience of operating both levers at once, a cord, I, extendslooselyfrom the top of one to the top of the other.

The inner corners of these tables are provided with rollers a, whichtraverse back andv forth in grooves I), provided in the front and rearupper sides of the openin D.

A guard, K, nearly a whole cirolejn form, with an opening toward thefront of the machine, is constructed-ofsuitable hoops, in parallelhorizontal rows, attached to bent standards, which spring from thecorners of theopening D, and bend inwardly and then upwardly asufficient distance, leaving the center of the space inclosed bythe'guard directly over the center of the opening-D.

The hoops of the guard are also bent outwardly and form flaring jawsbeyond the opening in said guard, and toward the front of the machine.

The rear end of the platform is furnished with two doors, L, meeting atthe center, where they are fitted tightly, so as to remain closed,unless some force is used to open them. i

Upon the platform A, and directly behind the notch O, is the rack M,with suitable. standards, in parallel rows, to receive the fallingstalks of corn, and retain them in place while being bound.

On the inner side of the rear end of the notch G, and playinghorizontally close to the platform and over said notch from front torear, isthe three-bladed knife N, constructed-with three curved blades,springing from a common center-plate, with their inward curvessharpened, with the cutting-edge downward.

This knife is properly secured to the vertical shaft 0, which passesdown through said platform.

On each side of the notch O, and near its inner end, are placed thevertical reels P, composed of standards passing down through theplatform, provided with inwardly-curved arms 0, which in theirrevolution pass by one another, and over the whole length of the notchO.

The operating-mechanism ofmy device is constructed as follows:

The axle Q, to which the traction-wheels B are firmly secured, passesthrough and is secured to the center of a vertical bevel-gearwheel, R,with its teeth on the side toward the notch G, which engage with andgive motion to a beveled pinion, S, upon a suit able longitudinal'shaft,in proper hearings upon the under side of the platform.

The front end of this shaft is provided with another beveled pinion, T,which engages with and gives motion to a beveled pinion, U, in the lowerend of the cutter-shaft O, and this rotates the knife N.

Upon one'side of the gear-wheel It another vertical beveled gear-wheel,V, is secured to the axle Q, at a point nearly in a .line with thestandard of the reel P, which gear-wheel engages with a beveled pinion,d, on

the end of a longitudinal shaft, in suitable bearings upon the underside of the platform, the other end' of which shaft is provided withanother beveled pinion,

- e, which in turn engages with and gives motion to a beveled horizontalgear-wheel, W, secured to the bottom of the standard of the reel 1?.

- A similar vertical beveled gear-wheel, X, secured to the axle Q, in aline with the standard of the reel P, gives motion to said wheel,through beveled pin ions f and g and beveled gear-wheel T, in the samemanner-. that motion is given to the reel P The method of operation ofthis device is as follows:

Being driven afield with a suitable team, and in position such as willbring the rows of standing corn -nearly in a line with the notch U, theturning of the traction-wheels and the axle brings the reels into ro-'tary motion inwardly, by the mechanism described,

the arms of which sweep the corn-stalks into the notch, where they arecaught and severed by the blades of the rotating knife, to which motionis also imparted by the turning of the traction-wheels.

The stalks, when out, fall together into-the rack M, where they arebound into shocks by the helper, who stands in the rear of the reel P.

When a shock is bound, the helper stands it up upon the tables E restingagainst the guard Kuntil the spaceinclosed by said. guard is entirelyfiliedl Then, by pulling upon the cord I, the tables E E'-roll back inopposite directions, and the shocks fall through the opening D, restingon the ground in an upright posisition, convenient for curing or forremoval. The tables E E then return, by their own weight, to theirformer position and close the opening D.

If the stalks are very tall, they will throw open the doors L by theirpressure against them, which doors may then be closed by any convenientmethod.

By these devices great convenience, speed, and effectiveness will begained at small cost, and without 7 great weight for a team to draw.

Having thus fully described the purpose, construction, operation, andmerits oi my improvement,

l/Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The hereinbefore-described corn-harvester, consisting of the platform A,provided with the gatheringnotch O and the. opening D, thetraction-wheels B, the dropping-tables E and E, the pivoted levers F andG, the standards H,, .the guard K, the gates or doors L, the rack M, therevolving cutter N, the shaft 0, the reels '1 and P, the shaft or axleQ, and the operating-gears, when the several parts are constructed andarranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose specified. V

Also, the arrangement of the dropping-tables E and E, provided with therollers a and pivoted levers F and G, and working in the grooves b,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my handthis 18th day of February, 1870.

HENRY FLESHER.

Witnesses:

Gno. O. MARCY, O. S. ZANE.

